Towing apparatus for boats.



- No; 665,950. Patented Ian. l5, 90k

H. W. ALDEN.

I'D-WING A'P'PA'BATUS FOR BOATS.

a (Applic'l-tion filed. Sept. 8, 1899.)

(No Mod el.)

01 136655: Inventor:

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No. 665,950. A Patented Ian. l5, l90l.

H. w. ALDEN. TOWING APPARATUS FOR BOATS;

(Application filed Sept. 8, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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Inventor: x/W'WZZZM 6 fW/KM W NTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT W. ALDEN, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORTO THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, AND

NEW YORK, N. Y.

TOWING APPARATUS FOR BOATS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 665,950, dated January 15, 1901.

Application filed Se tember 8,1899. Serial No. 729,818. (No model.)

2'0 0061/ whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERBERT W. ALDEN, residing in the city of Hartford, county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Towing Apparatus for Boats, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention has relation to the propulsion of boats through canals. It has been proposed heretofore to mount upon the tow-boat an electric motor which is connected mechanically with a suitable propeiler and electrically with a continuous conductor; but there are various objections to such a system, such as the effect of the wash produced by the propeller upon the banks of the canal, the dependence upon the continuous conductor,and the cost of maintenance of such a conductor.

It is the object of this invention to provide a system of propulsion or towing with electricity as the motive power which shall avoid the objections to the trolley system above referred to and shall answer all the requirements of the service.

In accordance with the invention a storage battery is mounted upon a boat or suitable vessel and furnishes current to a suitable electric tractor which travels on the towpath,

such tractor being connected with the battery- I boat by an electric conductor and a tow-rope.

It will be obvious that the invention can be practiced with many different details of construction and arrangement; but for purposes of explanation the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as embodied in age battery C of sufficient capacity for the intended use is suitably placed in the battow-rope or combined therewith, as may be found most convenient.

The tractor D represented in the drawings comprises a suitable body F, upon which is mounted the motor E, driving-wheels F, op

eratively connected with the motor, a steering-wheel F andsuitable controlling devices, which are indicated at f and f respectively. A small storage battery C is also mounted upon the tractor-body and maybe connected with the motor E for the purpose of enabling the tractor to maneuver'arouud locks,- &c., independently of the battery-boat. The towline is suitably connected to the tractor, as at d". It will be evident that the invention is not limited in any respect to the particular construction of the tractor shown and described herein, as any form of electric locomotive adapted for the purpose may be employed.

As indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, suitable charging-stations are located at intervals along the waterway, so that the storage batteries employed may be kept properly charged.

The system of towing described within presents great advantages in that the weight of the storage batteries being floated in suitable vessels is moved with the minimum of resistance and the least expenditure of power and that all of the pulling efiect is on the tractor. The expense of maintaining a line conductor is Wholly avoided and the charging-stations can be located at convenient points along the line-as, for example, where water-power is available for the generation of the currents.

I claim as my invention In a towing system, the combination with a storage battery, a floating vessel to support the same, a land-tractor comprising a motor, driving-wheels, and steering devices, a storage battery mounted on said tractor, adetachdrive the tractor independently of the storable mechanical connection between said traeage battery on the vessel.

, PO tor and said battery, an electrical connection This specification signed and witnessed this between the motor and the storage battery 23d day of August, A. D. 1899. supported by the vessel, also detachable, and HERBERT W. ALDEN. an e1ectrical. connection between the motor In presence of and the storage battery mounted on the ve- WILLIAM 0. WHITE,

1 HORAO A. ALDEN.

hicle whereby the motor may be operated to 

